Distributor houser



NOV- 23, 1954 3 LEE DISTRIBUTOR HOUSER Filed 001;. 5, 1951 I NVE NTOR LEMM/E 0. LEE,

BY zz wmpmm w 49mm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,695,341 DISTRIBUTOR HOUSER Lemmie D. Lee, Rocky Mount, N. C., assignor to Distributor Houser Corporation, Rocky Mount, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application October 5, 1951, Serial No. 249,909 3 Claims. (Cl. 20019) This invention relates to distributor apparatus for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a distributor shield.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved distributor shield or housing for internal combustion engines which is simple in construction, which is easy to install, and which will completely protect a dis tributor on an engine against the accumulation of foreign matter and moisture condensation, preventing short circuiting of the distributor elements and eliminating the need for interruptions in the operation of the engine while the distributor is being cleaned or dried.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved distributor housing or shield which is inexpensive improved shield for the distributor of an internal combustion engine employed in a fertilizer plant or in a similar environment where a considerable amount of dust and moisture is present in the atmosphere, as for example, in a Hough Payloader, employed widely in fertilizer plants throughout the country, the improved shield being specifically applicable to this type of engine.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an improved distributor housing according to the present invention shown installed on a distributor and showing a fragmentary portion of the body of the engine associated with the distributor;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical, transverse, cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 11 designates the body portion of an internal combustion engine and 12 designates a conventional distributor having a shaft 13 extending into the engine body 11 and having the collar portion 14 rotatably receiving the shaft 13. Designated at 15 is a collar member engaged around the collar portion 14 of the distributor. The collar member 15 is integrally formed at its end with the opposed apertured lug elements 16, 16 which are rigidly secured to the engine body 11 by diametrically opposed fastening bolts 17, 17. Designated at 18 is a cylindrical shell member which is eccentrically mounted on the collar member 15, as shown in Figure 1, said collar member being formed with a radially extending, apertured lug 19 which is secured to the end wall of the shell member 18 by a bolt 20. Designated at 21 is a bushing which extends through a portion of the wall of the shell member 18 located at a point of major eccentricity thereon relative to the collar member 15, namely, at a point where the radial distance from said collar member is at a maximum. As shown in dotted view in Figure 1, the distributor wires, designated at 22, pass through the bushing 21, suitable clearance being provided for receiving said distributor wires due to the eccentric relationship of the shell 18 with respect to the collar member 15.

The rim of the shell member 18 is formed with an internal, annular shouldered recess 23. Designated at 24 is a cylindrical cap member formed at its rim with a reduced portion 25 fitting into the shouldered recess 23 m 2,695,341 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 the manner shown in Figure 2, whereby the cap member 24 fits on the rim of the shell member 18 and forms a moisture-tight closure with respect to the shell member 18. Designated at 26, 26 are respective diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending bolts extending through the end wall of the shell member 1b and through the end wall 27 of the cap member 24. Threaded on the ends of the bolts 26, 26 are the respective wing nuts 28, 28 which fasten the cap member 24 securely to the shell member 18, defining a completely closed housing around the distriblutor 12. As shown in Figure 2, the shell member 18 is relatively short as compared with the cap member 24, whereby access may be obtained to the major portion of the dis tributor 12 by merely removing the cap member 24, as whenever it is necessary to clean or service the distributor 12. This may readily be accomplished by merely unfastening the wing nuts 28, 28, thereby allowing the cap member 24 to be disengaged from the bolts 26, 26.

Due to the eccentric relationship of the housing relative to the distributor, ample space is provided for receiving the distributor wires 22 without imposing undue bending stress on the wires and allowing the wires to remain securely connected to the distributor terminals. The bushing 21 makes a close fit around the distributor wires and prevents the entrance of moisture into the distributor protective housing.

While a specific embodiment of an improved distributor shield has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a distributor on an internal.

combustion engine, a distributor shield comprising a collar member engaging around the shaft of the distributor between the distributor and the body of the engine associated therewith, a lug element on said collar member secured to the body, a cylindrical shell member eccentrically mounted on said collar member, means on said collar member rigidly fastening said shell member thereto, said shell member receiving the rear portion of the distributor, a plurality of wires connected to the forward end of the distributor, said shell member being formed with an aperture affording passage for the distributor wires, said wires extending through said aperture, said aperture being located at a portion of the shell member of major eccentricity relative to said collar member, a cap member fitting on the rim of said shell member, and means detachably securing said cap member to said shell member, said shell member being relatively short and said cap member being relatively long, whereby access to the maior portion of the distributor may be had by removing said cap member.

2. In combination with a distributor on an internal combustion engine, a distributor shield comprising a collar member engaging around the shaft of the distributor between the distributor and the body of the engine associated therewith, a cylindrical shell member eccentrically mounted on said collar member, means on said collar member rigidly fastening said shell member thereto, said shell member receiving the rear portion of the distributor, a plurality of wires connected to the forward end of the distributor, said shell member being formed with an aperture affording passage for the distributor wires, said wires extending through said aperture, said aperture being located at a portion of the shell member of major eccentricity relative to the collar member, a cap member fitting on the rim of said shell member, and means detachably securing said cap member to said shell member, said shell member being relatively short and said cap member being relatively long, whereby access to the major portion of the distributor may be had by removing said cap member.

3. In combination with a distributor on an internal combustion engine, a distributor shield comprising a cylindrical shell member operatively related to the shaft of the distributor, said shell member receiving the rear portion of the distributor, a plurality of wires connected to the forward end of the distributor, said shell member being membetfit-ting'on the; riinof'said shellfmember', andmeans;

detaehably securing said 0311 member to; said shell member; said shell member being rel'ativel y' short"v and said cap member: being. relatively. long whereby access. to: the

major. portion of he distributor may be had by removing 10 said, cagmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Tarver Aug. 6, 1929 Buker Aug. 11, 1931 Gilbert Sept. 12, 1933 Kimball Sept. 18, 1934 Skaer etal Jan. 15, 1935 Hallett Mar. 29, 1949 Robinson Apr; 8', 1952 

